Ambulance 912HAP 9252
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Thickened heart muscle

A thickened heart muscle can result from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, long-standing high blood pressure, a narrowed heart valve or other diseases. The cause determines risk and treatment; fainting during exercise, severe chest pain or sudden breathlessness needs immediate assessment.

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A thickened heart muscle can result from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, long-standing high blood pressure, a narrowed heart valve or other diseases. The cause determines risk and treatment; fainting during exercise, severe chest pain or sudden breathlessness needs immediate assessment.

  • Breathlessness, tiring more easily or chest pressure during exercise.
  • Palpitations, a fast irregular heartbeat or a pounding sensation.
  • Take heart medicines exactly as prescribed and do not stop a beta-blocker or anticoagulant suddenly.
  • Discuss the type and intensity of sport individually; complete inactivity is usually not automatically necessary.
  • Call the same day for new fainting, near-fainting, chest pain on exertion or clearly worsening breathlessness.
  • For urgent GP care outside normal opening hours, call HAP 9252. Call Ambulance 912 only for an immediately life-threatening situation.

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